Reference · Math

abs

abs(num | dec) -> num | dec

What it does

The absolute value: the number without its sign. The type is kept: an int gives an int, a float a float, a decimal a decimal with its digits as they were.

Examples

print(abs(-5), abs(5), abs(-2.5), abs(0))print(abs(-12.50m), abs(3 - 10))

5 5 2.5 012.50 7

Edge cases

• The type is the argument's: abs(-5) is the int 5, abs(-5.0) the float 5.0.
• A decimal keeps its trailing zeros: abs(-12.50m) is 12.50m.
• NaN stays NaN; -inf becomes inf; -0.0 is 0.0.
• The smallest int has no positive twin: abs of it is an integer overflow. It is written -9223372036854775808; as a method, (-9223372036854775808).abs(), since -9223372036854775808.abs() reads as the minus of 9223372036854775808.abs().

print(type_of(abs(-5)), type_of(abs(-2.5)), type_of(abs(-1m)))print(abs(-12.50m), abs(float("nan")), abs(float("-inf")), abs(-0.0))

int float dec12.50 NaN inf 0.0

Errors

A string, null or a boolean is a runtime error, not an error value; abs of the smallest int is a runtime error too (integer overflow).

print(abs("x"))

line 1: `abs` expects a number as argument 1, got str

print(abs(-9223372036854775808))

line 1: integer overflow

Chaining

print([-1, 2, -3] | map(abs))print(-7 | abs, abs(3 - 10) + 1)print([3, -4] | map(abs) | max)

[1, 2, 3]7 84

See also

round, floor, ceil, sqrt, pow

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